Sleeping bag vs. camping quilt?
 

I'm almost ready for my first self-supported tour, and picked up my tent (Hubba Hubba), sleeping mat (Therm-a-Rest Neo Air) and stove (MicroRocket) today.

Bike-wise I'm all set, but I was wondering about quilts and sleeping bags. I really don't like mummy-style bags as it's like having my feet tied together. I have a cheap-o Decathlon bag which I could use unzipped (the north of Spain is warm enough this time of year ;) ), but is there a size advantage to a quilt?

I'm asking as I am taking just two rear panniers and a handlebar bag for a week's tour.

Either way, what's the standard way to cover the mattress?

What Quilt did you have in mind? what is it filled with?

I own a rectangular shaped bag, top, with a zipper attached sleeve
for the bottom pad . nylon bottom . cotton/poly blend on the top

But the sales numbers did not encourage the company to make them
anymore..

Know anyone that has a sewing machine?
it would be simple to sew a pad cover..

There really isn't a "standard way". On the TA we used about 1/3 of a bed sheet that we bought and ripped into three pieces. Some people sew up an envelope to cover their sleeping pad. Since I started packing lighter and lighter I have gone to just wearing a thin tech tee so my skin wasn't directly on the mattress. Any of the three approaches can work fine and there are probably others as well.

theres an american company called jacksRbetter they make quilts and are supposed to be the bees knees.

I have a sewing machine, and I'm not afraid to use it! Perhaps I might put elastic straps on the back side instead of making a whole bag.

I would prefer a down quilt. I see Thermarest makes a quilt specifically for the NeoAir, but that seems like overkill. And too much like a mummy bag, as it still pins you in.

Maybe I should just visit my local sheet and quilt store and ask them?

I'll look into that. U.S exports tend to be a bit pricey over here, though.

I take a small flannel sheet, doubled and sewed at the foot, when touring in the summer.

I just unzip my mummy bag and use it like a blanket. I also sleep in thin shorts and a t-shirt.

A lot of us hammockers like to use quilts. Since you said that you have a sewing machine you can check out the Hammock Forums. There is a DIY section with a lot of ideas for making a quilt. Some are from scratch and others convert bags to quilts. Most of these have a footbox similar to a mummy bag, but you could design yours differently.

There is a size and weight advantage to quilts. There is less outer material and insulation. This means less weight and packs smaller. Some ground sleepers don't like them because as your turn in your sleep, you can uncover yourself. There are ways around this, you could use clips and elastic to attach or surround the mattress.

As for covering the mattress... I don't use mattress, but if I did and I didn't like the feel of the mattress, I'd make a cover out of some lightweight material, like 1.1 nylon. Or make a quilt but sew another piece of fabric to the bottom to make a bag.

A lot of hammock companies make top quilts. Also GoLite has some, and I'm sure plenty of others.

Really, I see no reason not to use a quilt. The bottom of your sleeping bag is dead weight; so ditch it!

Thanks! I like the idea of making my own. An integrated sheet sounds practical, but also restrictive like a sleeping bag. And I have no problem getting a little uncovered-- right now I'll probably be sleeping half uncovered and with the tent fly open anyway, just to get a breeze coming through.

FWIW, I prefer a bag that can be zipped open all the way or at least almost all the way and used like a quilt.

I ran into a hiker earlier this year with an ultralight setup. He had a JacksRBetter quilt, and it looked very nice. Packed really small and weighed next to nothing. Also wearable as a poncho for around the campsite. They are fairly expensive, though.

The funny thing I found is that quilts are not necessarily all that much lighter. They need extra coverage on the sides which kind of negates the weight saved by not having a bottom. I wanted to like the quilt option, but when comparing I decided that the Mountain Hardware Phantom 45+ was a better choice for me. The factors that came into play are:

1. It is only one ounce heavier than the lightest Jacks R Better quilt.
2. While the down compressed under you has minimal insulation properties, I don't find the extra warmth to be nonexistent entirely.
3. I liked that the Phantom can be used like a quilt or like a regular mummy bag. The Phantom 45+ is probably roughly comparable to the Shenandoah and weighs pretty close to the same (1 ounce more). I find the ability to use it as a quilt or as a mummy bag to be a plus and for me a fairly substantial one.
4. While listed as a 45+ the EN lower limit is 32 and I have spent a lot of comfortable nights in it at temperatures as low as 18F and did not feel like I was at the limit of the bag with one layer of warmish clothes (bike tights, a light pile shirt, and two pairs of socks).
5. The Jacks R Better Shenandoah was cheaper though by about $100. I figure that the Phantom having a zipper and a hood is more complex to make so a higher price does not seem to be out of order.

I do like the idea of supporting a cottage industry here in the US, but found the Phantom to suit my needs better.

Anyway that is the way the choice went for me and after touring and backpacking some I am very happy with the choice. That said others will have different needs, budgets, and preferences.

I've been thinking more about going the quilt route. I'm in a hammock, which means that if I want to stay warm in cool weather, I need some insulation under the hammock, so the insulation in the bottom half of my sleeping bag is: a) redundant, and b) squished under me, so not all that insulating anyway. I have a summer-weight mummy bag, and slightly colder-rated rectangular bag. Like the OP, I don't like mummy bags, so my last trip involved my rectangular bag, which is bulky and warmer than what I need for summer use. With a more expensive, more compressible bag, I could get my pack size down and still keep the rectangular bag but I have found that rectangular, light, warm, compressible bags are the minority. And you still don't really use that under-insulation. So a bag with a pad pocket or a quilt seems to be the way to go. That's probably my next gear purchase, although I'm not in a hurry. Quilts are a little pricey, and I'm not short on options to stay warm, just on space.

The other item I have that's been really helpful is a CoolMax Travel Sheet. I've used it to supplement my summer-weight bag in cooler temps, and I've used it as my only insulation in really warm weather. The fabric is more comfortable then my sleeping bag fabric or the bottom of my hammock, and sometimes that little bit of insulation is all I need on a warm night.

So I'm all for a quilt if you can afford it, but for now I'm using my CoolMax liner and supplementing it with my summer-weight mummy bag, unzipped. It's not the perfect solution, but it does the job.

I've never actually used one myself, but the prices and reputation of Enlightened Equipment is beyond compare. I'm saving up for a Revelation X as we speak, a 30 degree quilt weighs 19 ounces, and costs $180. It's easy to spend more on a mass produced sleeping bag.

I use a Kifaru Woobie.
that alone is pretty darn warm. I've used it in 37F without a ground tarp or anything else, just laying directly on the ground.

I also use a Kifaru Parka, which I mostly use for sitting around in camp. I've used it while riding too, and it works fine.

with the Kifaru Parka and Woobie there is a lot of versatility, as compared to a sleeping bag.

that is, a sleeping bag has a very focused (just about single pointed) function.

I use a mummy bag and use it as a blanket when it's warm. I like to have the mummy for colder nights.

Wife and I use a Feathered Friends nylon bottom sheet with pockets for the pads, with a down rectangular bag zipped to it. It is the bees knees. Sounds like there are comparable products for singles, just have to search them out. A very cool thing about this arrangement is that you can't roll off the pad, and your bag is held away from the tent floor if you have a thick pad like a NeoAir. Plus it's much lighter and packs smaller than a conventional bag.

A mummy bag makes a nice soft sleeping area. I put it on top of my thermarest pad which makes for a comfortable nights sleep.

Ray Jardine is a huge advocate of quilts

http://www.rayjardine.com/index.shtml

You could get the pattern and source material locally.

Right now I'm leaning towards using the mummy bag I already own. It weighs around 700 grams and packs pretty small in its compression sack. The weather is warm enough right now that I figure I can just sleep on top of it, and wrap it loosely if I need to.

Then again, it won't take much to visit the local bed and fabric stores and plug in the sewing machine. The nice high-end gear linked above won't arrive by the weekend (my start date), sadly.

After four decades of using down mummy sleeping bags for kayaking, canoeing, backpacking and bicycle touring I discovered quilts- down and synthetic. They provided what I had found lacking in traditional sleeping bag designs. Reduced volume, similar warmth and room to move around without feeling confined.

Ten years later I no longer own a traditional bag just two quilts- one down and one synthetic. They can be combined for the coldest winter temperatures that I may choose to encounter.

Nunatak made the Arc Alpinist down quilt and Mountain Laurel Designs made the Climashield synthetic Spirit Quilt. Both excellent small cottage industry outfits. As are Katabatic Gear and Enlightened Equipment.

I also tried the Kifaru Woobie mentioned by Asana Cycles but it was too short for me in the original version. The second generation Woobie has a longer length and would have worked for me. I found it to be warm, well made and reasonably compact. A shorter friend is very happy using my old Woobie.

There is a learning curve to using a quilt. The width of the quilt is the most important decision particularly for side sleepers. Wide is much better than narrow. The degree of taper from shoulder to foot is also important. The length, height and width of the foot box impacts much of your total comfort. The hoodless nature of quilts requires a good warm hat or balaclava which I always bring anyway.

Of course quilts do not suit everyone but I have corrupted many folks to quilting by loaning one for an overnight or just a trial use at home for a short time. Ultimately it works for me and I am pleased with use under wide range of weather conditions and temperatures. Give it a try, you may like it.